Community
Action...Creating Local Opportunities for Economic Self-Sufficiency
Entrepreneurship
& Community Action in Wisconsin
In economic terms, poverty can be defined as a lack of income or
resources to meet the basic needs of life. More broadly, poverty
is a lack of opportunities, access, assets, and means, not only to meet
physical needs but also to participate meaningfully in one's community
or to fulfill one's potential.
Economic growth can help to reduce poverty. But given the stagnant
or diminishing value of
RVing Outpost, LLC Abbotsford, WI
A client of Indianhead CAA's Business Development Program
wages for
the majority who have not graduated from college, new job creation has
not been the sole solution to poverty. While new jobs are being created,
many of those available to
less-skilled workers in Wisconsin - especially those without college
degrees - do not pay enough to lift a family of four out of poverty.
Nearly 1 in every 5 jobs in Wisconsin fits this description (COWS, 2004).
How Do Community Action Agencies Help?
Self-employment is a viable strategy for
helping low-income individuals become economically self sufficient.
Community Action Agencies believe many low-income individuals possess
the ideas, skills, and motivation needed to become successful
entrepreneurs.
In Wisconsin there are eleven CAAs and the
Great Lakes Intertribal Council that operate Job & Business Development
programs. These agencies provide a variety of services and access
to financial resources to catalyze the creation of businesses and living
wage jobs. Services include:
conduct
feasibility studies
create a
business plan
develop
marketing strategies
expand
business skills
learn
management tools
locate
financial resources
resolve
credit problems
continue
with on-going business assistance
Provide access to two nationally
recognized technology-
driven initiatives: a Virtual Business
Incubator (www.vbi.biz)
and online
e-commerce opportunities at
www.wisconsincommonmarket.com.
With the help of
the JBD program, many participants no longer rely on social service
programs,
while
others have found a way out of minimum wage dead end jobs and are now
able to look to a productive future as small business owners.
Click here to find a CAA that
has a JBD program:
(Please note services may not be available in all
counties. Contact the agency for more information.)
ADVOCAP, Inc.
Winnebago, Green
Lake, Fond du Lac counties
The Wisconsin Community Action Network has been
providing entrepreneurial training and business
development services since 1989! In that time 1,720 new businesses and 5,248 new jobs have been created!
A total of 79 businesses and over 104 jobs were
created in 2007.
